How Do You Know?
By Sam Shriver

Simply stated, management can be the driving force of implementing training, but it can also stall to a point where the training becomes lost and is never implemented.

In order for transfer of training to take place, managers must be supportive of—or at least neutral to—the idea of change. Any reluctance on management's part can almost ensure that new learning will never be incorporated into the workplace.

Keeping all that in mind, let's get back to your response to the "how do you know" question. The train of logic presented thus far would appear to suggest you need to communicate three things about your training initiative:

• How is it relevant? (strategic alignment)
• How will it engage learners? (level 1 Results)
• How do you propose to ensure the commitment of line management to help you both shape and reinforce the learning? (Level 3 Results—transfer of training)

WHAT NEXT?

Relevance
The first step we need to take is all about embedding our training strategy with the stated goals and objectives of the organization. We must review and understand the business strategy of the company.

We must also be proactively prepared to draw direct lines between the organization's stated priorities, our training initiative and results that meet or exceed forecasts. We must be able to articulate how the learning that occurs relates to personal performance as well as to company goals.

Engaged Learners
We must be prepared to demonstrate how the learning event itself is going to "reach out and grab" those in attendance. As a general rule, training events should be highly relevant and actively involve participants. Involvement allows employees to take ownership of their own learning rather than passively soaking up information.

Commitment of Management
The most important relationships we need to cultivate as training professionals are with the managers of the targeted learners. These are the stakeholders that have ultimate control over Level 3 results.

Managers need to be aware of and involved in training design. They need to review and respond to content and process objectives. They need to understand and embrace their role in reinforcing what is learned back on the job.

Let’s revisit the questions associated with Levels I and III of Kirkpatrick’s system:

DID learners "like" the learning experience?

ARE learners using what they learn when they get back to work?

If the answer to these questions is "yes," we can be relatively sure that the return on learning investment is worth the time and money spent on the training. The only way to be completely sure, however, is to attempt to answer the Level II and IV questions through valid research methods.

Reprinted from Training Magazine, published by VNU.

Sam Shriver is president of Performance Impact in Cary, N.C., sshriver@perform-impact.com